Characterizing the Optical Counterpart to PSR B1951+32 in CTB 80

There remain several definitive gamma-ray pulsars that are as yet undetected in the optical regime. A classic case is the pulsar PSR B1951+32, associated with the complex CTB 80 SNR. Previous ground based high speed 2-d optical studies have ruled out candidates to m_V ~ 24. Hester (2000) has reported an analysis of archival HST/WFPC2 observations of the CTB 80 complex which suggest a compact synchrotron nebula coincident with the pulsar's radio position. Performing a similar analysis we have identified a point source within the nebula at m_V ~ 26, consistent with either a `knot' or the optical counterpart to the pulsar.